#14 & #83 The Keep of Dover Castle
Kent, England
1180
This is NOT an official Lego site

Of strategic importance for 2000 years due in no small to its proximity to France, the current castle was begun in 1168 for Henry II under the sure hand of Maurice the Builder. The Keep was started in 1180 and completed in 1189. It is the largest in England. The outer curtain wall, seen to the left, was added by the imperious King John, signer of the Magna Carta. So unpopular was he that the only seige of Dover was attempted during his reign - by Prince Louis, heir to the French throne. When King John died and the English throne passed to Henry III, who had popular support, Louis withdrew, but not before his army had collapsed the gatehouse.

The construction of coastal defences by Henry VIII lessened Dover's defensive importance, and the castle was seized by a small band of Parliamentarians in 1642, remaining in Cromwell's hands until the Restoration and thus assuring that Dover Castle would not meet the grim fate of so many other English castles. Eventually the fourteen towers that line the curtain were lowered and the keep's roof was altered to accommodate cannon. The castle remains huge, impressive and well worth a visit.

Inner Bailey Plan	Second Floor Plan	Detail Plan

First Floor Cutaway	Second Floor Cutaway	Gallery Cutaway

This castle model is my first built mainly from dark gray Lego. As I gradually purchased additional
pieces the model grew but it naturally took months. Arches above the outer and main doors
were changed which the necessary bricks from Lego first became available in Harry Potter sets!
The castle was built using 13,865 Lego blocks! 8,605 dark gray bricks were needed:
There were 4466 1xN and 2xN standard bricks, of which 2,604 were 1x2 bricks;
3,748 plates, of which 2280 were 1x1 plates and 779 1x2 plates; 302 slopes, of which 224 were 75º for the batter!
The 3,413 light gray Legos included 2,456 1x2 plates, also for the quoins, and
1,847 other Lego blocks were also used.

Phase 1 South View	Phase 2 East View	Phase 3 Pit and Drawbridge	Phase 4 East View with roof

Southeast View 1988 model	Southeast View of the 2001-2 Model	South View in dark gray Lego with light grey quoins	Southwest View with entrance, from ground level

Northwest View with latrine tower	Northeast View with original stairway battlements	Closeup of stairs with pit , drawbridge and main door	Turret detail showing stairs from roof

Dover Keep on the Road

Here's a picture of me just before Halloween 2002 at the Children's Museum of Illinois as they prepare for Medieval Night November 5

Build Your Own
1988 Lego Plan	1988 Northwest Elevation

2001 Lego Plan	Southeast Elevation	Southwest Elevation	Northwest Elevation	Northeast Elevation

Other Dover Castle pages:
http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/dover/dover.php
http://www.uazone.org/gallery/ukdover.html
http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/179/dovercastle.htm

Return to the main castle page.

Castles created by Robert Carney
Page created & maintained by Robert Carney